Unfamiliar Feelings (Part1)
by mangalover4ever07
Summary: It annoyed him that she did what she pleased; speaking to him with such recklessness. He soon realized that his annoyance turned into something more…something that he was unfamiliar with. Somehow he learned to lock it away, but every time she was around him, it emerged. The same thundering in his ears, the burning of his flesh, and the assault to his senses were driving him mad.
1. Chapter 1

**So this is what happens when I watch Inuyasha: Final Act and all the movies within 1 week. I tried to stay true to the timelines but of course, I tweak some here and there to suit this story. **

**I broke this into two parts. Why? I have no clue. *I'm contemplating on a part 3..but we'll see* And this is a Sesshomaru & OC pairing. I have made all the common pairings (Inu/Kag ; Mir/San) But I've steered this towards more into a romance between Sess and my own character.**

**Please feel free to comment/review and let me know what you think!**

* * *

Chapter 1

The mighty force of steel clashing against steel sent powerful surges around the plains. The grassy ground was uplifted in chunks; trees were uprooted, some dissolved into ashes. The sky cried out above them as lightning struck the ground and thundered roared.

All this chaos…was caused by only two individuals.

This happened every so often, more often than Asa would have liked, but she was not in the position to comment. Instead, she sat on the sideline, along with the Beast of Burden and the imp she disliked.

As another strike of the golden bolt came in their direction; the imp yelled loudly as if he had forgotten the protective barrier surrounded them kept them out of harm's way.

Asa sigh heavily; the battle between father and son was dragging on longer than usual. No doubt her master, Lord Inutashio, was going easy on Sesshomaru. She understood his need of surpassing his father; doing so would prove that he was the greatest youkai in all of Japan. But she couldn't understand _why_ he wanted to succeed him at such a young age. He had all the time in the world; why did he want to succeed him so quickly? Especially when it was very apparent that he was nowhere near the caliber of his father.

The nudging of the two headed dragon paused her thoughts. Smiling, Asa dug into the pocket of her kimono pulling out a small sack filled with dried vegetables she had prepared for it. By the time the dragon polished off the last of its snack from her hand, Sesshomaru had crashed to the ground.

"Oh no! Master Sesshomaru!" Jaken cried, fleeing to his master's side. The sight of the young master covered in blood and gashes from his father's blade made her cringe. Those would heal in minutes, but the wounds of humiliation and failure would linger a bit longer.

"You still haven't learned, Sesshomaru." Inutashio looked on at his fallen son. He understood why he was determined to defeat him; however, he was not going to allow him to do it so easily.

"Asa." The lord demon called out to his vassal, turning her attention away from his son. Inutashio was done with their battle for today, but he knew he would return again for a rematch.

The young girl looked at Sesshomaru, surrounded by his loyal followers. She trotted along to catch up with her own master.

"Do you think you went a little hard on him, My Lord?" Asa asked when they were out of earshot. The demon lord stopped, holding out his sword still covered in blood, fur, and fibers of clothing. Dutifully, Asa cleaned the blade with a cloth she carried with her.

"Do you think I should have gone easy on him?" the baritone voice was laced with sarcasm. Of course her answer would have been yes; the blows he was delivered, the steel blade cutting at his flesh, his bones breaking with every punch and kick. It made her sad. She truly didn't like seeing the young master hurt.

"No, My Lord." She handed the sword back to him. She looked up at the man, dressed in white and armor. He was strong, there was no doubt about that, and feared by most. He was a great leader and if you had the pleasure of getting to know him, you would find that he was kind in some ways.

"I have business I need to tend to." Inutashio said, sheathing his sword. "Go tend to Sesshomaru. I will come for you shortly." Asa held back a disapproval grunt. No doubt he was going to see that…_woman_. She was leery of her master's secret affection for the human and worried about her intentions. But again, that wasn't her place to speak. Instead, she bowed and wished him well on his travels.

* * *

Sesshomaru eased against the trunk of a tree. He had traveled to the edge of the forest, just a few short feet near a running stream.

"Master Sesshomaru." Jaken came to his master's aide, noticing that he was more exhausted than he was allowing himself to show.

"Leave me!" the young master snapped when Jaken proceeded to touch him. The green imp recoiled, hurt that he was rejected; he retreated into the woods with the two headed dragon.

Again, he was defeated. His father was merciless as he cut away at him. He couldn't recall if he had landed on hit on the old man. Those wounds were healing, but he was exhausted from the battle. He could barely hold his head up.

Why? Why wasn't he stronger?! He had his father's blood running through his veins and yet he made him feel like an inferior puppy compared to him.

Though wallowing in self-pity, he was still well aware of his surroundings. He growled when he heard footsteps coming towards him.

Didn't he tell Jaken that he wanted to be alone?

But it only took seconds for the scent of fresh rain and vanilla to hit his senses. _She_ was the last person he wanted to see in the state that he was in.

"Go away." He growled, but he knew that it was futile. She never listened to him…_ever._

"You don't mean that." Asa came into his sight, kneeling in front of him; she set the jar of water at his feet.

"Did Father send you here?" he narrowed his eyes as she poured the water from the jug into a cloth. The last thing he needed was for her to feel sorry for him. He was doing that quite well on his own.

"He had something to do. I wanted to make sure you were alright." As she spoke, she moved to his hand.

"I don't need your pity." He seethed, knocking the rag from her fingers. Asa sighed, rolling her eyes; she was not in the mood for his tantrums.

"And pity you will not get." She said calmly, picking up the rag she pushed the dirt from it. "But as least allow me to clean the blood from your skin and clothes."

Sesshomaru didn't answer or give her permission to touch her. Then again, he didn't have to. Asa was different from any vassal that served his family. Her family had served his for ten generations according to his father. Asa was born a few years after him so they were brought up to get. It annoyed him that she did what she pleased; speaking to him with such recklessness. He soon realized that his annoyance turned into something more…something that he was unfamiliar with. Somehow he learned to lock it away, but every time she was around him, it emerged. The same thundering in his ears, the burning of his flesh, and the assault to his senses were driving him mad. He did his best to stay away from her as long as possible.

When Asa's father died of a sudden illness, she took her father's place at his father's side. He was fine with that arrangement. He was finally at peace to concentrate on becoming stronger. Over time, it occurred to him that he missed that unfamiliar feeling that stirred when the girl was around. He had missed the sound of her voice, her laugh. He'd missed their one sided talks they shared. He'd missed the sight of her pink tinted hair, now slightly longer than the last time he had seen her, and those bright grey eyes. He'd missed her feminine scent, her warm touch when she hugged him, though he'd protest every time, he never felt the urge to pull away.

He was envious that his father had the opportunity to see her every moment of his day. Though he treated her like a daughter and nothing more, he was starting to realize that his father was in the way of everything.

Why was he always so close to having what he wanted but never fully able to grasp.

"All done." He heard Asa say. She rang out the rag, now stained with his blood and dirt, and tucked in her pocket.

"I could have done it myself."

"Oh, I know. But I wanted to feel useful to someone." Since his father had been courting a young human, he wasn't around as much as he used to. She was thankful for the break, but she was lonely nonetheless.

"You did very well this time around."

"Hn." Asa watched as golden eyes cast down. His claws pierced the flesh of his palms.

"Hey! I just cleaned your clothes!" Without thought, she opened his hands. Crimson stained his flesh. "Don't feel bad." She said in a calmer state, wiping the blood away. "You're still young and have a ways to go before you'll be at Lord Inutashio's level of strength." There was a long silence between them. Asa knew the subject was a soft spot for the young master but maybe her words would encourage him.

"Yes, even if you reach the peak of your strength, your father will still be stronger and he may knock you down a thousand times and pierce you with his blade over and over. But that shouldn't deter you from achieving what you truly desire."

Sesshomaru stared at her. "If those were your words of encouragement, you did a poor job." She baffled him when she giggled; he found nothing funny about it.

"Yes. I suppose so. My father was better with words than I." When their gaze locked, the familiar unfamiliar feeling came to him. His arm moved without his command; his hand rose grazing her hair wavy hair with feather-like touches.

She had silently prayed that his sharp hearing didn't pick up on her heart's quickened pace. He would probably laugh at her if he knew even being in his presence sent her body ablaze. She had realized, at a young age that she saw Sesshomaru as more than a friend, her master's son. She hid her feelings for the young master well. But every now and again she allowed herself to look at him longer; to envelop his scent around her. Asa fantasied of the day that he would return the same feelings. And then she would laugh at herself. That would never happen; he only had those perfect golden eyes on one prize…and that wasn't her.

"Your father is calling me." She lied as she broke her gaze from his. She moved back. She ran a hand over her kimono before bowing before him.

"I will say this, Master Sesshomaru. Whether you are aware or not, every time you raise your sword to challenge Lord Inutashio, he shows great pride in his eyes."

As Asa walked away, her words lingered. No matter how many times he'd failed, he'd get back up again until he got what he wanted.

He'll never give up.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

"Asa." The young demon broke her concentration of meditation. She let out a breath of frustration. She had awakened in a foul mood but she couldn't understand why. She thought a bit of quiet would do her some good.

No such luck, apparently.

"Yes, Lord Inutashio."

"I need you to do something for me." He started off making his companion suspicious. What did he need that he couldn't do on his own?

"Lady Izayoi needs…"

_Boom!_ There is was. His new woman that he was so fond of was in need of a babysitter. She turned her head to conceal the roll of her eyes. She was his vassal, not _hers._ Her foul mood was growing fouler by the second.

"Does she not have handmaidens for such tasks?" Asa couldn't hide the distain in her voice, which Inutashio heard clearly.

"I want _you_ to accompany her. Or…is that a problem?" Hearing the stern authority dripping from his voice reminded her as to whom she was talking to. Getting herself together, she unfolded herself from her meditation position.

"No, My Lord." She put on a fake smile. "I would be more than happy to accompany _Lady Izayoi_."

* * *

She saw no joy in walking beside this woman that she barely knew. Sure her master spoke of her, very fondly she might add, over the past couple of months, but this was the first time she had actually laid eyes on her.

And for good reason; Asa made it a point not to meddle in the dog demon's love affair, however long or short they lasted. Every woman that he came across only wanted him for his status and wealth; none of them actually loved him. She couldn't recall his first wife, Sesshomaru's mother. She was an infant when she had left. Though she must have been someone special if Lord Inutashio made her his wife; so what made this woman special enough to grab his affections?

Lady Izayoi was beautiful; she was surprised that she wasn't married to another already. Jet black hair contrasted against her flawless pale skin. Fine fabrics and silk draped over her small frame. She seemed simple to Asa, timid and quiet. Nothing about her screamed "Great Demon Lord's Mate" to her.

"You did not have to come with me." Izayoi said softly, carrying a small basket of fabrics and bottles of perfume.

"Lord Inutashio asked me to join you on your outing." Asa said curtly. Her mood wasn't allowing her to indulge in small talk.

Izayoi smiled. "You mean he made you join me." She was no fool. She had asked a few times to meet the girl that stood at her beloved's side.

Asa shrugged her shoulders, deciding not to speak was better for her than her smart remarks. Who knew if her master was watching from afar listening to their conversation or if the woman would tell him about their day? Either situation was not the best for Asa.

"You look quite young to be at the side of Lord Inutashio, but I know that appearances are not what they seem. I'm sure that you're a lot older than you look."

"I'm not that old. I'm only 125."

Commenting so nonchalantly made the Lady laugh. "Yes, _only _125. So what are you? Are you a dog youkai?"

"Um…" Asa had to think for a moment. No one ever asked her heritage, it took her off guard a little. "…my mother was a nekomata and my father was a tengu." There was small pause between them as if Izayoi was thinking; then her laugh became louder. So loud that she had cover her open mouth with the sleeve of her kimono.

"Did I say something funny?" Grey eyes turned into slits when tears formed in the corners of the woman's eyes.

"No..no! I'm not laughing at you." She managed to say in between her laughter. "I just imagined a larger pink cat with wings. I'm sure that's not what you look like but that's all I could think of." Asa thought about it as well and let out a short laugh as well; it was funny once you thought about it.

"Well, at least you can laugh in my company." Izayoi replied after a while. "I can tell you do not care for me."

"I don't know you well enough." Her companion stated truthfully. "All I know of you is that you're the daughter of a wealth lord and that my master has fallen in love with you."

She toyed with the collar of her outfit; Asa words had Izayoi's heart fluttering in her chest. "Did he say that he loved me?"

"He doesn't have to. I've been around my master long enough to know that he's changed. Whenever he goes to see you and returns, it's like he's walking on air. It's quite endearing; a great lord demon in love." She studied the woman whose face flushed scarlet. Asa guessed a declaration of love would do that to any woman, even if it came from someone else's mouth.

"Do you love him?"

"Yes! With all my heart."

_Of course she would say yes._ Asa thought. _Who would be foolish enough to say otherwise in front of me? But…_

"How does your family feel about that? A human with such high status in love with a youkai; I'm sure there is protest."

"…I…I haven't told anyone. No one knows about Lord Inutashio. We always meet in secret."

_Boom!_ _And now she just shuffled herself right in the group with the rest of the women_. Asa knew she didn't like her for a reason.

"So how can you love someone and keep it a secret?" Her foul mood returning; she would have to do a full day of meditation to rid of her negative aura.

"I…it's much more complicated than it sounds."

"As I'm sure love is. But in order to fully deal with that 'complication' you have to expose it for what it really is. You claim that you love Lord Inutashio, yet that love is hidden from those that love and follow you. Why? Are you afraid for the repercussions? Are you afraid that you'll be rejected from your village? Shame your father? Or do you think, if only Lord Inutashio was human, life would be more simple?"

She stopped her rant; realizing again that her words were a little harsh. She had wished to the gods that she had more finesse like her father. Izayoi knuckles were white as she gripped the woven handle of her basket. Her eyes glistened with tears. Was she really scared?

She remained silent the rest of the walk to the main gates. Asa, feeling like a complete bitch; there was no way that Lady Izayoi wasn't going to tell her master what had transpired between them. He was going to scold her for sure.

If she was lucky.

"Thank you for the walk, Asa." Izayoi voice was meek as she walked away.

"Lady Izayoi…" she couldn't let their first meeting end on a bad note. "I know what I said to you was a little harsh; however, If you love my master, as deeply as he loves you, than you shouldn't be afraid of what may come your way. As long as your love is true, nothing else matters. Everything that is destined to be, will fall into place as it should."

Izayoi never answered. She continued to walk through the gates of the small village. Even as the sun began to set; the wind began to pick up, Asa stayed on the dirt path just outside the village until she sensed that Izayoi was safely inside.

Asa head dropped into her open hands; she sighed heavily. Lord Inutashio was going to have her ass when he saw her in the morning!

* * *

Trying to get rid of the pounding headache that plagued her throughout the night; she posed herself into mediation.

"Asa!"

Well, she had no time to say goodbye to the world. Obviously, by the tone in his voice, her master was irritated.

"Yes, my Lord?" She stood from her position on the ground. She turned to face him. He furrowed his brow in apparent disappointment; his fist placed on his hips.

"Lady Izayoi told me what you said to her yesterday." He started towards her, his face never told of his intentions. Asa knew a beat down was about to take place.

"Yes, my Lord?" She saw his hand rise but she'd dare not flinch. She'd take the beating as she deserved it. She had been cruel to the woman who wanted nothing more than to meet her.

Feeling his hand pet the top of her head stopped her thoughts. "Master?" she was completely confused by his actions. Why was he stroking her head lovingly…as if she had done a _good thing_? With her head down, Asa couldn't see the smile on her master's face.

"What you said to Izayoi gave her the courage she needed. She told her father about us. She has broken her engagement with her pervious suitor. She said it was difficult, but she felt a release that was building inside of her. She said that she trusts our love will weather anything that comes our way."

Inutashio gave her one last pat on the head before walking past her. Asa felt sick; she just knew it was over for her. She doubled over placing her hands on knees to steady herself. If she was going to survive Lord Inutashio, mediation was not going to be enough.

She was going to need alcohol…and lots of it.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Her vision was blurred, stinging with tears. Her mind was telling her that it was because of the burning village that was collapsing around her, but she knew that it was her heart breaking that caused the tears. What seemed like minutes ago, Lord Inutashio was fatally wounded from his battle with Ryukotsusei. He released her of her servitude, knowing full well that he would soon leave this world.

"_But…but Lord Inu..." Asa's voice broke; she wasn't prepared to say goodbye. She had already said it once to her father. She didn't want to lose another. "I'm suppose…to serve you…til…the end of my days." She coughed out, sobbing loudly, which was not in her character, but under these stressful circumstances he allowed it. _

_He gave her a lovingly pat on the head, "And so you shall." _

"_I don't…understand." Her tears seemed to be never ending. Why!? Why was this happening? If only she were strong like her mother's ancestors to heal others, but she never had the chance to possess such techniques. _

"_I shall give you the choice of severing either of my children. With you at their side, their journey through life shall be an easier road than I have taken." _

Her tears never stopped as ambers landed around her; her master's final request replayed in her mind. The jealousy of one man and the love of another, all over one woman, had been their undoing. All that was left of her master was nothing but ashes. That was what her great Lord was reduced to in his final days; after countless battles with even the fiercest of demons, his last battle ended by the hands of a human.

"Was it worth it, my Lord?" _knowing that you sacrificed your life to save Izayoi and the baby that was produced by your love; was it worth leaving behind the rest of us?_

"What do we do now?" Totosai spoke from behind her, sorrow muddled his voice as he looked on at his master's final resting place.

Asa dried her face, gulping down the lump of anguish. "Once the fire dies down, distribute Lord Inutashio's swords as he commanded." Delivering the commands of her master to the three old men, the girl turned on her heels.

"Asa…" Myoga called out. "Where are you going?"

"To carry out My Lord's final wishes."

* * *

Asa sat on a boulder in the middle of the forest, trying to gather her bearings, but it seemed to be useless.

How was any of this fair? Why did he have to die!? She had served him for over one hundred years, stood by him as he fought many battles; not once did she fear that he would die. When her father died, she had cried then too. Her master was there to comfort her, patting her on the head like he always did. She had admired him, trained under him; looked up to him as a second father.

Now….now what? What was she to do now?!

Oh! And what about Lady Izayoi and her baby? What was _she_ going to do? She just lost her husband, her home, her only family. How was she going to manage with no one to aide her? How was she going to raise a halfblooded demon child on her own?

Asa's head was spinning; a headache was brewing behind her eyes. She prayed for this to be dream, just a horrible nightmare. She'd be awake soon and everything would be as it was before she closed her eyes.

She cried longer, harder. She was completely disconnected for her surroundings; she swore she heard her sanity cracking.

"Asa." The familiar voice had her to her feet automatically. Though her eyes were rimmed red and swollen, she could clearly see her Sesshomaru standing before her.

"My Lord." She said flatly, bowing out of respect.

Sesshomaru frowned. He saw the deepen sorrow etched on the girl's face and he knew why. He had felt his father's life energy drift away. However, her demeanor was off.

"Why do you bow to me?" She never bowed, even after countless times he had threatened her to do so when they were children. She had always treated them as if they were equals.

"Because you are now successor of the late Demon Lord Inutashio is why I bow to you." Her voice was dead; it held no emotion like before which irritated him more.

"So what? Now that the old man is dead I get the respect I deserve?" He stepped towards her when she remained silent. He stopped just a mere foot away. "Answer me."

She never moved from her bowed position, never did she looked him in the eye. "My master is dead. He has released me of all my duties as a vassal and has given me the right to choose." She had stopped her train of thought. The fact that Inutashio was dead was overwhelming her, clouding her mind.

"The right to choose what?" Sesshomaru had no idea what she was referring to, but he could sense that she was on the verge of hysteria.

"But how can I make such a decision when I feel so lost? I don't know what to do now! " Knees buckling, Asa fell at Sesshomaru's knees. How could she be a vassal for an infant, or even a great dog demon, when she can't even pull herself together?

Sesshomaru was too through with Asa's sniveling; it was unlike her and she needed to stop. What did her father want her to do? Dropping to her level, the young master, cupped her chin making her left her head. Without hesitation, he let his lips fall onto hers and finally silencing her cries of sorrow.

He would never tell anyone how he felt when he kissed her, how he longed for the moment to gather the courage to do so. He would never tell a soul how he felt when her soft mouth against his. How his body would burn hot when she was merely standing next to him was now ablaze with such fire that was beyond his control. He would never utter a word of how sweet she tasted, sweeter than he could have imagined, he could drink from her for the rest of his life. He knew that he would be satisfied with such a fate.

He let himself linger for a moment longer than he should have before breaking apart. He could have sworn he heard Asa mewl in protest, but he couldn't allow his thoughts, his desire, to wonder down into that territory, at least not yet. Her lips now matched the same red and swollen look as her eyes but she had stopped crying. He noted, once she looked at him, those passionate gray eyes he loved was filled with so many mixed emotions he couldn't pinpoint exactly what she was feeling.

"Why…why did you do that?" She was confused. This was happening so quickly, she didn't know how to process any of it. This was truly unfair. Fate was playing a cruel joke on her and she was not laughing.

"I kissed you so you would stop crying." Yes...fate was laughing at her and it was not funny. He had kissed her…Sesshomaru, the man who she had hidden her affections from for so long, had stolen her first kiss in the middle of her grievance of her fallen master.

She didn't know whether to cry, scream, or punch him!

"I'm sure whatever tasks my father has given you, he did not give you without full confidence that you wouldn't be able to accomplish. He would not have let you stay at his side for as long as he did if he thought for one second you were incompetent."

Sesshomaru left her on the ground, letting her absorb his advice. Yes, fate was cruel with its twists and games. Now her lord was giving her encouraging words in her state of grief. He was right; Lord Inutashio wouldn't have given her the choice if he didn't think she'd make the right one.

In the distance, her ears perked up to the sound of cries; wailing to be accurate. An infant's cries. Following them, she ran through the thicket of the forest. She finally caught wind of the woman's scent. She knew she was making the right decision; she knew she was doing what her master wanted her to do.

"Lady Izayoi!" She recognized the red rat fire coat and the scent that carried with it. The woman under it was covered in soot; the last of her village, her home. Her eyes filled with tears when she realized her ally was in front of her.

Izayoi rushed into her arms, thankful that she wasn't alone. However, her own cries were overpowered by the infant in her arms.

"Wow! He's got some lungs on him." Asa let out a watery laugh, taking the child from his mother's arms; she rocked him back and forth to sooth him. He looked like his father with a full head of silver. Asa thought he looked absolutely adorable with the triangle shaped eyes on top his head. "What's his name?"

"Inuyasha. His father named him Inuyasha." Asa smiled when he opened his golden eyes, staring up at her.

Yes…she was making the right choice.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

"Little Inuyasha… Little Inuyasha…. Little Inuyasha." Asa sang to the infant, who was growing in size every day. She laid back on the dirt ground, swaying the boy in the air above her head. Inuyasha giggled, happiness filled his eyes. He was totally unaware of what they went through to bring him into this world and she prayed that he'd never find out.

"If you keep that up, he may give you his lunch." In haste, Asa sat up right.

"Yes, like last time." The two women giggled. The child, now several months old, cooed in her arms before outreaching his own to the elegant woman standing above him. His mother took him, giving Asa a break from tending to him.

Izayoi was thankful for her presence; she had known after a short time that she was release from servitude and yet she had chosen to help her. She didn't know what she would have done without her. They had found the small village only days after her own was destroyed, along with her beloved. The people took pity on the woman when she told them of her story. However, they were leery about having not one, but two demons is such close proximity.

Asa assured them that her intentions were to only aid Lady Izayoi with the baby and nothing more. She would not cause harm to anyone. Though they were wary of her presence, they still allowed them to stay.

The pink haired demon smiled at mother and son; the woman would fit in well with the villagers. Maybe she would find a suitor to take care of her. But she doubt that would ever happen, seeing how no man, no human man, would take care of a demon child even if he was half human. And forget about another demon in Izayoi's life, for he would see Little Inuyasha as a threat and kill him. No, her fate was sealed; she would be alone in this world, with only her and Inuyasha at her side.

Maybe that was ok.

"I'm going to go get fetch some water, my Lady." Asa said suddenly, patting her kimono of loose dirt. She walked away, sensing that her Lady had grown suspicious of way she always seemed to get water at odd times, but she didn't say anything.

Asa always said she needed to get water when she sensed him around. She took her time making her way into the nearby forest. She didn't acknowledge him as she literally past where he concealed himself behind a tree, or when she completed her task of filling her jug with fresh cold water.

"For someone that resents the mother and child, you come around a lot." Asa commented once she came back into the woods. She set the jug down as she waited for the man to appear.

He didn't speak when he approached her. His stoic mask tightly in place; everything was the same about him except he had the Tensegia, one of his father's swords, at his side. She knew he wasn't fond of it, being the owner of a blade that didn't cut. But he would find out, in his own time, why his father gave it to him.

"You could at least say hello to her."

"That woman and that child don't deserve such an honor." Asa rubbed the back of her head; he was so spiteful it could be draining at times.

"My, I didn't know a simple courtesy from you held so much honor." Sesshomaru glared at the girl's words of sarcasm. Only she believed that she could get away with such words.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Lord Sesshomaru!" they heard someone calling out to him from behind. Asa sighed, it was like Sesshomaru's was the imp's life, as if he were going to die if he wasn't at his side.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken was finally in her sights coming up from behind her.

"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!" She let out a high pitch scream; she jumped back with grace before shooting out her leg. Her powerful kick sent Jaken flying into a tree nearby, knocking him unconscious.

"Oh my, I thought it was a giant bug." Asa said dramatically, clutching her chest as if she were scared. "But it was only Jaken." She turned back to the young Lord who seemed to be unfazed by her actions. He too, didn't want Jaken to hear their conversation or be interrupted with his commentary.

"Why do you choose to stay by their sides?" That question haunted his mind night after night for months.

"Because my Master gave me that choice." She simply said, picking up her discarded jug. This was a subject that she didn't want to get into. Sesshomaru couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that she was willing to be with the human woman and her child instead of him.

She walked passed; she had been gone a little too long and needed to return to her Lady and Little Inuyasha.

"So you choose to stay by a woman and a child that killed your master? Is that what my father asked of you, to stay beside a murder?"

"Do not blame them for your father's death." Temper swarming, she turned to face him. It infuriated her that he showed no emotions. "Don't blame the innocent for what has happened!" she snapped back. "You may still be grieving your lost but that gives you no right, none whatsoever."

"It was because of that woman that made my father weak." His voice edged with anger as she spoke back to him in such a manner.

"No, loving someone doesn't make one weak. Love is the ultimate strength. It gives you power that you didn't know was in you until you're forced to protect the one you love." Asa shook her head; he would never get it because he would never allow himself to feel that kind of emotion.

"Hn. If love makes you sacrifice your life for someone that is weaker, then who would want such a thing?" His words cut at her, but confirmed what she had been saying all along. He would never understand.

Sighing heavily, she had developed a headache. She turned her back to him but didn't move; the last thing she wanted was for him to see her tears, though she knew he would smell them.

"The true reason why I choose to stay with Lady Izayoi, despite her existence that caused my master to fall, I know that he did not die in vain. He died knowing that she had his son and had survived. After coming to that conclusion, I knew that becoming Little Inuyasha's vassal was the best because he needs me more to guide him out of the path of my master's and on to his own."

With that, she left him alone to ponder her words.

It angered him; she had known him her entire life and those people only a few months. She went to them without even considering what he thought. She said that her decision was based upon their needs, but what about him? What about his needs?

She was being truly selfish.

* * *

Asa bowed in front of the grave, sniffling softly she placed white lilies at the base of the small tombstone. She had wished she acquired the ability to not shed tears like Lord Sesshomaru; she was tired of crying.

The life of a human was so short; she never realized it until now. Just eighty years; only eighty years with Lady Izayoi before she closed her eyes one finally time. She clasped her hands, silently paying that her journey to the next life was easy and now she could finally be with her late master at last.

Maybe if she had the gift of healing, she could have prolonged her life a little longer in this world. She was strong, that was true, her strength a near match to Lord Sesshomaru's, but she still didn't possess the power of healing, a trait she longed desired.

She looked over her shoulder, spotting the young hanyo just over the edge of this grassy hill.

_What now? _

Inuyasha was now an orphan; how was he handling it now that his mother was gone. She empathized with the boy that she had grown to love as a younger brother; he no longer had a piece of him, no one to identify with. She knew that feeling when her father died, lost and loneliness. But she couldn't understand the burden he bared of being a half breed. Inuyasha wasn't accepted by demons and not by humans. He would be lost in this world if she wasn't there to guide him.

She walked over to her mentee, sitting down next to him. Thick, silver bangs shadowed his eyes as he bowed his head. He was still a little boy, but not so little that he needed to be coddled or taken care of every second of the day. Every day he grew stronger, both physically and mentally. Every day they trained, he learned a new power that was hidden within his being and soon he would master them as his father intended.

"Are you alright, Inuyasha?" His ears flexed as if trying to find the best answer.

"Yeah." He settled for the one syllable. His mother died had two days ago in her sleep. He was shell shocked when Asa told him, but he didn't shed any tears. She allowed him to see her body, which had aged and withered over time, she was still beautiful to him nonetheless. He showed no emotions when he and Asa were kicked out of the village. Once his mother died, the villagers felt that the demons would have no qualms killing them if they felt like it. Inuyasha was disgusted; the humans never fully expected him, only tolerated him for his mother's sake. Now that she was gone, they had no problems leaving him homeless. That was fine with him; he never truly belonged there anyways.

He didn't show any sorrow as he helped dig his mother's grave, covering her with the soft dirt. He watched as Asa etched her name in the oblong stone. It took almost a day for him to break. Asa gathered him to sob in her chest. He cried until he fell asleep in her arms; her scent soothed him and made him feel safe as his mother's once had.

It wasn't fair for Asa to endure such pain because of him. He was told the story of how he was born, how his father had sacrificed his life to save his. Though Asa had told him this with such admiration, all Inuyasha could think of how much a burden he had been. And now yet again, he was a burden. Asa was forced to stay by his side, to uphold her master's dying wish. She was destined for more, deserved more, than being chained to him. But her selfless devotion to him wouldn't allow her to part with him, not until he was ready.

"Asa." He said after a while. The sun was setting, the warm orange and red glow shone behind the mountains, signaling that the day was coming to an end. It was now or never.

"Hm? Yes, Master Inuyasha?"

"I think…" he paused. Was he truly ready to be alone, for good? After everything she had given him: her knowledge, her strength, her protection, her love. It was only fair he could give her something back in return. "I think it's time for you to leave."

"What?" she let out a laugh. "What are you talking about?"

"You are free of me, Asa. You can do as you please."

"Master Inuyasha." She looked at him. If this was a joke, it was not funny. "You are…" she stopped when he moved away from her touch. He jumped to his feet to face her.

"This isn't about me! I'm thinking about you!" Asa was shocked to see so much determination in his eyes. "I'm holding you back from your training to be a healer. You can't fully become one with me at your side."

"How do you know about that?" She never spoke about her trainings to anyone, not even Lady Izayoi.

"Myoga told me." Asa rolled her eyes; any other time, the fearful flea couldn't be found. Now he was meddling in affairs that were none of his business.

"You don't need to worry about that. It's not your burden to take."

She watched as the young hanyo shook his head. "Myoga told me that you were half way through your training when your father died. You took his place and never finished. When my father died you had the chance, but again you decided to look after someone beside yourself. This time, I'm making you choose yourself for once."

"Master Inuyasha…" She couldn't understand why he was trying to convince her to leave him behind. How could she when he was still so young. How would he survive without her?

"I'm not going anywhere." She said to him. "You're still too young…"

"I'm old enough to take care of myself!" the power behind his voice took her off guard. "Do you think I haven't listened to your teachings? Grasped the knowledge and meaning behind all your lessons? Do you have such little faith in me?"

"No…no that's not it." How was he able to make her feel like her being at his side was a burden. Was she really a burden to him? Had she hovered over him a little too much as a child? She had only done what she thought was right. She had only done what she felt was her duty.

Her chest became heavy with sorrow. Was she no longer needed? Was her purpose completed?

"Hey…" he felt his small hands touch either side of her face, catching the tears that fell. "Don't cry. I want you to go and be the greatest you can be. And when you come back, you'll see just how great I will become."

Asa gave a heartfelt smile. "When did you become so smart?" He gave back a toothy grim.

"Don't you worry about me, Asa. I can take care of myself. You'll see." Asa struggled with the fact that Inuyasha was right, he was the son of Lord Inutashio. He could handle himself in this world. It was time to let go. Though she didn't want too; in the back of her mind she feared that someone, either demon or man, would snatch his life away before he got the chance to fully live it.

But that was a risk she was willing to take.

If that made him happy.

* * *

The girl sat at the edge of the river bank. Placing her fingers in her lips again, she blew hard, letting out a high pitched whistle. The vibrations echoed through the air. She didn't know how long she would keep this up. If she didn't leave now, she would lose the courage to walk away from it all. She realized that she was holding on so tightly, she was afraid to let go because she realized she was no longer needed. After almost 200 years of being a servant, she was finally ready to let go.

She stood; waiting for the man that she sensed was coming towards her. This was probably the hardest thing she was faced with; having to tell him that she was leaving. She held in her breath as he approached her.

How was it that she was noticing how handsome he was at this very moment? Was he always like that? His golden hued eyes seemed to glow in the moonlight. That long silver hair of his blew softly against the cool breeze. He looked so regal, so elegant, and so deadly at the same time.

She was going to miss him.

"I should rip out your lungs for making such an annoying sound." He said dryly. He had no idea why she was calling for him. She had never called for him before. It made him uneasy when she didn't respond to him; didn't snap back with her quick wit, didn't roll her eyes at his threat.

"I'm…I am…" _wow, this was harder than I had thought it would be_. The thought crossed her mind that she would leave, just leave and not say a word. But how disrespectful would that have been? His family had done so much for her, the least she could do was say goodbye.

"Hn. If you called me to just stammer and waste my time…" he stopped short. What was wrong? He could sense it. "What is wrong?"

Asa bit the inside of her mouth to straighten herself out; she was not going to cry. She was going to leave smiling, whether she wanted to or not.

"I'm leaving." Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. What the hell did she mean?

"So?"

She let out a breath. "Inuyasha has let me go. I'm no longer his vassal."

"Are you telling me this because you think I would be happy about that? Why should I care?" But he did care. He was curious about what this entailed for her.

"You shouldn't care." She threw up her hands. She was done with the two of them going around in circles. "I just wanted to give you the courtesy of telling you that you won't be seeing me for a long time."

"Japan isn't that big."

Asa shook her head. "I am going on a journey to become a healer, like my mother's ancestors. It's something that I've desired all my life and now is the time to pursue it." Sesshomaru said nothing; it still was registering when she said that he wouldn't be able to see her. It didn't matter what monastery she went to or what cave she would crawl into, he would always find a way to see her.

"In order for me to do that..." she continued catching his attention once more. "I'll be leaving this land in search of others. I may even decide to leave this time, and travel to another."

The young lord stop listening; her words began to blur together. He now fully understood what she meant when she said she was leaving. Her father had the ability to enter into different dimensions, into different times of this world and others. He would often leave for a time but always returned. He was aware that she was too skilled, but it never occurred to him. That thought never crossed his mind.

"And I should care?" That wasn't what he wanted to say! Why did he have to disconnect himself from this feeling? This feeling that was screaming in his head, pleading with him that he would tell her to stay with him. To tell her that he needed her to be with him.

"I didn't think you would." Asa said, sorrow edged her words when she did. "But I wanted to tell you all the same."

Why couldn't he speak? Why were the words that were spinning in his head not reaching his mouth? She was leaving and only the gods knew when she was coming back.

Or if she was coming back at all.

"Asa." He was shocked that was all he could muster up to stay. She turned back to face him. She had stopped to hear what he wanted to say and yet nothing was coming out. How could he call himself Lord of the Western Lands and he couldn't command his body to cooperate!?

Asa could see the inner struggle Sesshomaru seemed to be having. She could tell that he wanted to say something; maybe it was to tell her to stay with him, or maybe it was to wish her well. Whatever he was trying to communicate to her was being blocked by his ego, his pride. She walked over to him; if he couldn't say what was on his mind, it was now her chance to tell him what was on hers.

Standing on her toes, she touched her lips with his, just a gentle brush to test him, before taking the plunge. She didn't realize, the first time he had stolen her kiss, that he was demanding. Without fail, his mouth worked hers, drawing her in deeper. To steady herself, she placed her palms on his chest. She could hear her mind exploding as the heat of their kiss grew hotter. If she had stayed a moment longer, she knew that she would be sealing her fate.

Asa stepped back, trying to catch her breath. She looked up at the young lord and was pleasantly surprised. For once, in her entire life, Sesshomaru had let his emotions show. His gold eyes darkened with passion, his face slightly flushed as his breath became slightly ragged. She could hear his heart quicken deep within his chest. It made her smile to know that they were finally on the same page with how the other felt.

"I'll come back. I don't know when, but when that time comes, maybe you will tell me what it truly on your heart."

She walked past him for the final time, excited for where life would lead her.

* * *

Thanks for reading! I hoped you enjoyed it! (I know...I know. I ended it with a cliff hanger. But that's what I do! LOL!)

Keep a look out for Part 2 of Unfamiliar Feelings!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 2014!

SMOOCHES!


	5. Author Note!

**Happy 2014 Everyone!**

**Thank you everyone that have read and enjoyed this fanfic. I've gotten some nice feedback from those that reviewed and commented. Whether it's 1 or 100 reviews, it really motivates me to keep going.**

**So thanks to everyone that even _considers _reading my stuff. And thank you to those who give me feedback and follow my work.**

**I appreciate it all!**

**Unfamiliar Feelings Part 2 is now posted!**

**SMOOCHES!**


End file.
